• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.27-32
• /
• 2010

This study was conducted to monitor aflatoxins in various medicinal herbs, providing available data for the safety of those products. To monitor aflatoxins in medicinal herbs, a total of 400 samples of 40 different herbs were collected in commercial retailers in Seoul, Daejeon, Gwangju, Daegu, and Busan from March to August, 2008. The samples that passed the sensory evaluation were tested for aflatoxins. Aflatoxins in samples were analyzed by HPLC-florescence coupled with photochemical enhancement. Samples were extracted with 70% methanol and then diluted to the appropriate concentration. A refining process was performed using an immunoaffinity column. The analytical method used in this study was validated. The $R^2$ value for aflatoxin $B_1$ was 0.99946, and the detection range was from 0.25 to 10.0 ng/mL. The accuracy of the analysis was ranged from 83.2% to 101.8%. The relative standard deviation (RSD) in the aflatoxin $B_1$ analysis was 3.4%, demonstrating the precision of this method. In addition, the detection limit and quantitative analysis limit of aflatoxin $B_1$ was $0.53\;{\mu}g/kg$ and $1.76\;{\mu}g/kg$, respectively. These results indicated that the analytical method used in this study was appropriate. The results of HPLC showed that 1% (4 samples) of the samples may contain aflatoxins. The concentration of quantified aflatoxin was $2.3\;{\mu}g/kg$ for both Quisqualis fructus and Remotiflori radix samples. The other samples were below the limit of quantification. Moreover, the concentration of aflatoxin $B_1$ which is made by specific fungi were below the level of regulation. Only 20% of aflatoxin $B_1$ were transferred to hot water. Therefore, the levels of aflatoxins in medicinal herbs were considered to be safe especially considering the aflatoxin transfer ratio.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.62 no.2
• /
• pp.87-95
• /
• 2017

The increase in the frequency of occurrence of abnormal weather could include severe rainfall, which could cause rice submergence during the ripening stage. This experiment was conducted to clarify the effects of submergence during the ripening period on yield and quality of rice. The flooding treatment was conducted at 7 and 14 days after heading. Flooding conditions were created with two conditions, flag leaf exposed and overhead flooding, and each condition was divided into two conditions according to water quality-clear and muddy. Although the yield decrease was more severe at 7 days after heading because of the decrease in the ripening ratio, the head rice ratio was more affected at 14 days after heading because of the increase in the chalky kernel ratio. The maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm), which indicates the photosynthetic efficiency, did not differ before and after the flooding treatment until flooding continued for 4 days. In addition, stem elongation occurred because of flooding as an avoidance mechanism in japonica rice. This phenomenon was expected to decrease the supply of assimilation products to the spikelet (sink). Overall, it was suggested that additional experiments should be conducted examining the change in the starch synthesis mechanism and transfer of assimilate products resulting from submergence, for development of cultivation techniques corresponding to submergence and breeding of varieties with submergence tolerance characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.151-160
• /
• 1998

Tangerine peel is mostly discarded as waste in citrus processing. However, tangerine peel contains besides dietary fibers bioflavonoids such as naringin and hesperidin which act as antimicrobials and blood pressure depressants, respectively. A continuous membrane separation process was optimized for the production of bioflavonoids relative to feed flow rate, transmembrane pressure, temperature, and pH. The tangerine peel was blended with 7.5 times water volume and the extract was prefiltered through a prefiltration system. The prefiltered extract was ultrafiltered in a hollow fiber membrane system. The flux and feed flow rate didn't show any apparent correlation, but we could observe a mass-transfer controlled region of over 8 psi. When temperature increased from $9^{\circ}C\;to\;25^{\circ}C$, the flux increased about $10\;liters/m^2/min\;(LMH)$ but between $25^{\circ}C\;and\;33^{\circ}C$, the flux increased only 2 LMH. At every transmembrane pressure, the flux of pH 4.8 was the most highest and the flux at pH 3.0 was lower than that of pH 6.0, 7.0, or 9.0. Therefore, the optimum operating conditions were 49.3 L/hr. 10 psi, $25^{\circ}C$, and pH 4.8. Under the optimum conditions, the flux gradually decreased and finally reached a steady-state after 1 hr 50 min. The amount of dietary fibers in 1.0 g retentate in each separation step was analyzed and bioflavonoids concentration in each permeate was measured. The contents of total dietary fiber in the 170 mesh retentate and soluble dietary fiber in the prefiltered retentate were the highest. Naringin and hesperidin concentration in the permeate were $0.45{\sim}0.65\;mg/g\;and\;5.15{\sim}6.86\;mg/g$ respectively, being $15{\sim}22$ times and $79{\sim}93$ times higher than those in the tangerine peel. Therefore, it can be said that PM 10 hollow fiber membrane separation system may be a very effective method for the recovery of bioflavonoids from tangerine peel.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.67-74
• /
• 2000

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of vitrification on the implantation and the pregnancy of human blastocysts. Method: The transfer of the frozen-thawed blastocysts by the slow freezing or vitrification was performed between January 1998 and July 1999. The zygotes derives from IVF were cocultured with cumulus cells in YS medium containing 20% hFF for 5days. Two or three of the best balstocysts produced on day 5 were transferred into the uterus, and then supernumerary blastocysts were randomly divided into two groups. One was frozen by slow freezing and the other was frozen by vitrification method. The slow freezing procedure was performed in two steps (5% glycerol and 9% glycerol + 0.2 M sucrose for 10 min, respectively) using programmed freezer ($-2^{\circ}C$/min to $-7^{\circ}C$, manual seeding at $-7^{\circ}C$, $-0.3^{\circ}C$/min to $-38^{\circ}C$ and plunged into $LN_{2}$). The blastocysts frozen by slow freezing were thawed at $36^{\circ}C$ then removed glycerol in 7 steps. The vitrification procedure was performed in three steps (10% glycerol for 5 min, 10% glycerol + 20% ethylene glycol for 5 min, 25% glycerol + 25% ethylene glycol and directly $LN_{2}$ within 1 min). The blastocysts frozen by vitrification were thawed at $20^{\circ}C$ water then removed cryoprotectant in 3 steps. In each group, thawed blastocysts were cocultured with cumulus cells in YS medium containing 20% hFF for 18h and transferred into the uterus. The implantation rate was evaluated per transferred blastocysts and the pregnancy rate was evaluated per transfers. Results: The survival rate of vitrified group (74.5%) was higher than slow freezing group (68.0%), but not significant. When 98 thawed blastocysts of vitrification were transferred in 40 cycles, 19 pregnancies (clinical pregnancy rate; 47.5%) were established. One miscarriage occurred in the eighth week of pregnancy (ongoing pregnancy rate; 45.0%). 7 pregnancies were ongoing, 11 pregnancies went to term, and 16 healthy infants were born. The Implantation rate was 31.6%. These results were higher than those obtained by the slow freezing (clinical pregnancy rate; 40.3%, ongoing pregnancy rate; 32.5% and implantation rate; 25.3%), but not significant. Conclusion: Vitrification is a simple, quick and economical method when compared to slow freezing. It will be chosen as a good method of human embryo freezing in IVF-ET programs.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.206-214
• /
• 2005

Heterogeneously-catalyzed oxidation of aqueous phase trichloroethylene (TCE) over supported metal oxides has been conducted to establish an approach to eliminate ppm levels of organic compounds in water. A continuous flow reactor system was designed to effect predominant reaction parameters in determining catalytic activity of the catalysts for wet TCE decomposition as a model reaction. 5 wt.% $CoO_x/TiO_2$ catalyst exhibited a transient period in activity vs. on-stream time behavior, suggesting that the surface structure of the $CoO_x$ might be altered with on-stream hours; regardless, it is probable to be the most promising catalyst. Not only could the bare support be inactive for the wet decomposition reaction at $36^{\circ}C$, but no TCE removal also occurred by the process of adsorption on $TiO_2$ surface. The catalytic activity was independent of all particle sizes used, thereby representing no mass transfer limitation in intraparticle diffusion. Very low TCE conversion appeared for $TiO_2$-supported $NiO_x$ and $CrO_x$ catalysts. Wet oxidation performance of supported Cu and Fe catalysts, obtained through an incipient wetness and ion exchange technique, was dependent primarily on the kinds of the metal oxides, in addition to the acidic solid supports and the preparation routes. 5 wt.% $FeO_x/TiO_2$ catalyst gave no activity in the oxidation reaction at $36^{\circ}C$, while 1.2 wt.% Fe-MFI was active for the wet decomposition depending on time on-stream. The noticeable difference in activity of the both catalysts suggests that the Fe oxidation states involved to catalytic redox cycle during the course of reaction play a significant role in catalyzing the wet decomposition as well as in maintaining the time on-stream activity. Based on the results of different $CoO_x$ loadings and reaction temperatures for the decomposition reaction at $36^{\circ}C$ with $CoO_x/TiO_2$, the catalyst possessed an optimal $CoO_x$ amount at which higher reaction temperatures facilitated the catalytic TCE conversion. Small amounts of the active ingredient could be dissolved by acidic leaching but such a process gave no appreciable activity loss of the $CoO_x$ catalyst.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.442-458
• /
• 2011

Among Cucubitaceae, melon (Cucumis melo) is one of the most diversified fruits, with various forms, sizes, pulps, and peel colors, In addition, it is a commercially important crop because of its high sweetness, deep flavor, and abundant juice. In the species, there are both climacteric and non-climacteric melons depending on the respiration and ethylene production patterns after harvest. Ethylene is also considered a crucial hormone for determining sex expression, Phytohormones other than ethylene interact and regulate ripening, There are some indices that can be used to evaluate the optimum harvest maturity. The harvest time can be estimated after the pollination time, which is the most commonly used method of determining the harvest maturity of the fruit. Besides the physiological aspects, the biochemical alterations, including those of sweetness, firmness, flavor, color, and rind, contribute to the overall fruit quality. These changes can be categorized based on the ethylene-dependent and ethylene-independent phenomena due to the ethylene-suppressed transgenic melon. After harvest, the fruits are precooled to $10^{\circ}C$ to reduce the field heat, after which they are sized and packed. The fruits can be treated with hot water ($60^{\circ}C$ for 60 min) to prevent the softening of the enzyme activity and microorganisms, and with calcium to maintain their firmness. 1-methylenecyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment also maintains their storability by inhibiting respiration and ethylene production. The shelf life of melon is very short even under cold storage, like other cucurbits, and it is prone to obtaining chilling injury under $10^{\circ}C$. In South Korea, low-temperature ($10^{\circ}C$) storage is known to be the best storage condition for the fruit. For long-time transport, CA storage is a good method of maintaining the quality of the fruit by reducing the respiration and ethylene. For fresh-cut processing, washing with a sanitizing agent and packing with plastic-film processing are needed, and low-temperature storage is necessary. The consumer need and demand for fresh-cut melon are growing, but preserving the quality of fresh-cut melon is more challenging than preserving the quality of the whole fruit.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.183-188
• /
• 2005

Effects of co-solvent polarity, citric acid, pressure, temperature, run time, and co-solvent ratio on extraction of major flavonoids from Lonicera Flos were investigated using supercritical fluid $CO_{2}(SF-CO_{2})$. HPLC analysis revealed addition of pure methanol resulted in low extraction yield of major flavonoids, luteoloin (Lu), Quercetin (Qu), Apigenin (Ap). Under same condition, as co-solvent polarity increased, yields of major flavonoids increased gradually, At optimum co-solvent extraction condirion of 60% aqueous methanol (10%, v/v), yields of Lu, Qu, and Ap were 42.09, 28.18, and 3.49 mg/100 g, respectively. Addition of citric acid to 60% aqueous methanol gave higher, with addition of 1% citrie acid resulting in highest yields of 63.2 (Lu), 39.35 (Qu), and 5.79 (Ap) mg/100 g. Optimum extraction conditions of major flavonoids were 200 bar, $50^{\circ}C$, 60 min, and $CO_{2}$-methanol-water(20: 1.8: 1.2).

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.1-22
• /
• 2012

The classification scheme of estuaries can be divided into two categories: qualitative classification based on geomorphic characteristics and quantitative classification based upon the physical properties of water body. While simple and intuitive scheme of the former is difficult to quantify, the latter is not easy to apply due to the lack of data. A classification scheme based on morphological convergence is very promising because it only requires easily accessible data such as width and depth of channels, as well as it can characterize estuaries in terms of tidal propagation. Thus, this paper examines the classification scheme based on estuarine morphological convergence using depth and width data obtained from 19 major Korean estuaries. Morphological convergence for each estuary was estimated with the estuarine length, width and depth data to get the convergence parameters, which includes the degree of funneling ${\nu}$ and the dimensionless estuarine length $y_0$. The transfer function ${\xi}({\nu},ky)$ is then deduced analytically from 1D depth-integrated hydrodynamic momentum equation and continuity equation for estuarine shapes. Tidal response of each estuary is finally calculated using ${\nu}$, $y_0$ and ${\xi}({\nu},ky)$ for comparison and classification. The 19 Korean estuaries were classified into three groups: tidal amplitude-dominated estuaries with standing wave-like tidal response (group 1), current-dominated estuaries with progressive wave-like tidal response (group 2), and the intermediate group (group 3) between groups 1 and 2. The sensitivity analysis revealed that uncertainties in determining the estuarine length can have a critical effect upon the results of classification, which indicates that the reasonable determination of the estuarine length is of critical importance. Once the estuarine length is feasibly determined, depth-convergence can be neglected without any negative effect on the classification scheme, which has an important ramification on the wide applicability of the classification scheme.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.374-382
• /
• 2021

In the present study, we analyzed the decay rate and nutrient dynamics during leaf litter decomposition of Pinus densiflora and Pinus thunbergii in Gongju for 60 months, from 2014 to 2019. P. thunbergii leaf litter decomposed faster than that of P. densiflora. The decay constant of P. densiflora and P. thunbergii leaf litter after 60 months was 3.02 and 3.59, respectively. The initial C/N ratio of P. densiflora and P. thunbergii leaf litter were 14.4 and 14.5, respectively. After 60 months, C/N ratio of decomposing P. densiflora and P. thunbergii leaf litter decreased to 2.26 and 3.0, respectively. The initial C/P ratio of P. densiflora and P. thunbergii leaf litter were 144.1 and 111.3. After 60 months elapsed, the C/P ratio of decomposing P. densiflora and P. thunbergii leaf litter decreased to 40.1 and 45.8, respectively. After 60 months, the percentage of the remaining N, P, K, Ca, and Mg in decomposing P. densiflora leaf litter was 231.08, 130.13, 35.68, 48.58, and 36.03%, respectively. After 60 months, the percentage of the remaining N, P, K, Ca, and Mg in decomposing P. thunbergii leaf litter was 143.91, 74.02, 28.59, 45.08, and 44.99%, respectively. The findings of the present study provide an insight into the forest ecosystem function of coniferous forests through the analysis of the amount of nutrient transfer into the soil through a long-term decomposition process; this information is intended to be used as basic data for preparing counter measures for future climate and ecosystem changes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of International Agriculture
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.475-484
• /
• 2011

International price of cereal has been dramatically increasing for the past few years. This price hike amplified the importance of food self-sufficiency in numerous countries due to the fact that food security is directly proportional to food self-sufficiency. In this study, we conducted a survey to provide useful information of Cambodia's agricultural environment to possible Korean agricultural investors and as to highlight Cambodia as a strong candidate for the establishment of Korea's foreign base for cereal production. The survey conducted includes information regarding Cambodia's agricultural environment and investment circumstances including the political, economical and other contributing factors affecting agricultural investment in Cambodia. Seventy percent of the Cambodia's total population engage in agriculture and this comprises about 30% of the country's GDP. This statistics reflects the possibility of Cambodia's poverty alleviation which proves that agriculture in Cambodia is the driving force for the improvement of the country's economy. In addition, low labor cost, fertile land, abundant water resources, like the Tonle sap lake and the Mekong river, and unreclaimed lands are the strong points that could attract agricultural investors to Cambodia. Poor infrastructure, irrigation systems, law reforms, including social and cultural differences may be the biggest setbacks for the acceleration of Cambodia's agriculture development. However, the Cambodian government is open and willing to make adjustments for Cambodia to be both foreign and domestic agricultural investor-friendly, expecting that it will boost its country's agricultural development. Making the best out of this opportunity, the coordination of KOICA with Korean agricultural investors in building infrastructures and with the help of the KOPIA program for the transfer of agricultural technology will benefit both countries and will play an important role in Cambodia's agriculture.